Million to One
by Mike16
Summary: War is raging between the Zerg and Terrans, but when a mission goes sour, Mike O'Connor and Mikhail Grishoff's only hope of survival is to infiltrate a Zerg Infested Command Center. A story of action, betrayal and suspense. Please R&R.
1. Million To One: Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Starcraft, everything to do with Starcraft is owned by Blizzard.  
  
Authors Note: Text that is written in between these: -- (Text) -- signifies when the character is thinking. The text between the -- is what he is thinking at that moment in time.  
  
*Terran Volamose Protectorate Headquarters on Kadnor VI, 12:34 PM*  
  
"You wanted to see me Admiral?" Mike O'Connor, Sergeant of the 16th and 19th Ghost Units, asked, pushing open the door and entering the office. Admiral Nick Anderson was sitting behind his desk, casually sipping on a martini.  
  
"Yes please, have a seat. Can I get you a drink?" The Admiral asked, pressing a button on his desk. A large opening appeared in the wall, revealing a full bar.  
  
"Scotch please." Mike sat down in the leather chair in front of the desk. While the Admiral was getting the drinks, he admired the sheer number of trophies and medals that ornamented the shelves and walls. Beyond the Admirals chair, a large window revealed the beauty of space. Stars speckled across the black sky, and small planets and their moons shone brightly, basking the room in silver light.  
  
"Rocks?" Mike was brought back to reality sharply. "No, straight up, thanks." The Admiral returned with the drinks, then got serious.  
  
"As you probably know, the Zerg have taken over the planet Khan'Alas, along with its fifth, sixth, and eight moons. This cannot be allowed, the Khan'Alas system is an invaluable resource for Vespene." Nick took another taste of his Martini and pressed another button on his desk. Instantly a holographic projector popped up. An image of Khan'Alas rotated slowly around, purple showing the amount of the planet controlled by the Zerg. "As you can see here, the Zerg have taken control of sixty-seven percent of the planet. We simply cannot allow them to advance any farther." He leaned forward and spoke into a microphone on the desk. "Computer, zoom in on Khan'Alas, coordinates 68.296.009."  
  
Instantly the holograph of Khan'Alas was replaced by that of a massive cerebrate, its vile pulsating body sending off psychic commands to the Zergs. "What the board of Commanders thinks, is that if we send in a small Infantry unit too destroy the Cerebrate, mostly likely by planting a bomb on it, then we will have a much better chance of succeeding with an aerial attack, as the Zerg's will be very disorganized without their brain slug."  
  
"Admiral, to send men down into the core of the Zerg's cluster would not only be insane, but impossible. Dropships would be blown out of the sky by their Spore Colonies within a matter of seconds!" Mike protested, trying to absorb the sheer insanity of what the Admiral was saying. But much to his surprise, the Admiral was smiling from ear to ear.  
  
"Not quite Sergeant." He leaned into the microphone again. "Doctor Kellhoff, would you come in here please." Nick waited for a few moments until a man entered. Doctor Aaron Kellhoff appeared to be in his early sixties, his receding hairline suggested as much, along with the many wrinkles around his eyes. The scientist wore thick-framed glasses, and he blinked like a mole behind them. He was wearing a Scientists cloak that was covered in purple goo of some sort.  
  
"Sorry about my poor attire Admiral, I was just doing a dissection of a preserved piece of the Zerg's blasted creep, trying to figure out what the hell its made of." Aaron then noticed Mike, and extended his hand. Mike took one look at the scientists purple covered hand and gagged.  
  
"Uh, Doctor, why don't you wash your hands quickly." Nick said, tossing a wet rag to the Doctor. Obviously embarrassed, Aaron withdrew his hand and washed it vigorously. Then he extended it towards Mike, and the Ghost took if politely.  
  
"Doctor Aaron Kelhoff, Chief in charge of Military Research."  
  
"Mike O'Connor, Sergeant of the 16th and 19th Ghost Units." Now that the formalities were complete, the doctor took a seat next to Mike. The doctor twisted the microphone around, "Computer, display image of the Falcon please." An image of a small ship that Mike had not seen before appeared.  
  
"Meet the future of stealth missions. This is a prototype of the Falcon Version II Dropship. It has the bes..." Mike cut Aaron off in midsentence. "Version II? What happened to Version I?" The doctor shuffled his feet uneasily and looked at the floor as he spoke. "It encountered...uh...problems." Then looking up, he quickly added, "But we've made major adjustments and were sure that it won't explode this time.  
  
"Explode?!" Mike practically yelled. --The damned thing exploded, and now they want to do that same thing again?! That's crazy!--  
  
"It won't happen again, I assure you. We have tested it a number of times and worked out all the bugs." Aaron, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead. Mike looked to the Admiral, who didn't appear to be reacting either way.  
  
"As I was saying, the Falcon II utilizes the best in stealth and armor technology. Made from a metal called Galdium, which we found on the planet Akaro Three. This metal is very rare, and is very strong. As for the stealth technology, we've attached a design called the Omnipath. It is designed to send out bursts of electromagnetic waves that are designed to jam the sensors of any biological detector. This means, even the Spore Colonies won't be able to see you while the Omnipath is activated. However, the machine can only run for one and a half minutes, which should be plenty to get you in, without being detected."  
  
"How about getting us out?" Mike asked indignantly. The doctor looked at him blankly and said matter-of-factly, "The Omnipath only takes thirty seconds to recharge fully, and then you will be able to be picked up. So if you merely set the detonators for more than three or so minutes, you'll be fine."  
  
"I don't mean to be a pain in the ass, but what about us? Once that Omnipath goes offline, those Colonies and the Overlords will be able to see us, and then were screwed." Mike pointed out. --Once were spotted there will be hundreds of Zergs attacking us, not to mention the probability of Sunken Colonies.--   
  
"We've prepared for that too. You see we've made a smaller Omnipath, one that attaches to your Ghosts stealth suit. These smaller versions only lasts for forty-five seconds, but by then the Falcon II Will have recharged fully." Aaron explained.  
  
"I guess this might, might, be able to work." --As long as those Omnipaths do their jobs, this should be a piece of cake.--  
  
"I assure you it will. Now Admiral, I really must complete this dissection before the Creep decomposes." Aaron said, rising from his seat.  
  
"Yes, please. Thank you for the briefing." The Admiral dismissed the man, then turned back to Mike. "I want you to select your two best men from your units. The Falcon only has enough room for three people." Nick leaned forward to stare at Mike eye to eye. "Remember, this mission must succeed." The Admiral rose from his seat and turned to face the window. He swirled his martini around in the glass and drank the rest. "You leave at 14:00 hours Sergeant. Give `em hell, and come back alive.  
  
*****  
  
Mike drummed his fingers nervously against his leg, looking around at the two Ghosts he had chosen, he could see they were nervous too. They were all cramped tightly in the small hold of the Falcon II. Mike had to admit he was impressed, the Falcon II was virtually silent and exceptionally fast. --If they only made the Omnipath work for longer, we could bomb every section of their base and they wouldn't be able to do a thing about it.--  
  
The pilot swiveled his head around to face them. "Three minutes till drop boys, I'm activating the Omnipath in two minutes, so you'll have thirty seconds to activate yours." Mike nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Normally he wouldn't be so nervous, it's just that this technology had not had extensive testing and there were no guarantees it would work.  
  
Mike looked at the two Ghosts he had chosen. One was the Captain of the 16th Unit; the other was Captain of the 19th unit. Joe Moreno, Captain of the 16th Unit was tall and was the bombs specialist, he would be handling the bomb and placement of it on the mission. They had all had extensive bombs training, all ghosts had, but Moreno was the best of the best. He had short, wavy blond hair and murky brown eyes. He was quite tall and muscular, and had very broad shoulders. The other Captain, James Walker was shorter than Moreno by nearly a foot, but was just as muscular. Walker had buzzed brown hair and greenish eyes. They were both sweating profusely, as was Mike.  
  
"Approaching drop point, activating ships Omnipath." The pilot, Lance Olgor pushed a combination of buttons on the onboard computer and though it was not visible or audible, the Omnipath kicked in. A counter appeared on the computer screen, and it start counting down from ninety seconds. The Ghosts stood up, though they had to bend down a bit to avoid hitting the ceiling. They pulled on there helmets and loaded their C-10 Canister Rifles. Mike's heart was pounding like a jackhammer as suddenly the door panel slid open and the Sergeant found himself staring at miles beyond miles of Zerg infested terrain. 


	2. Million To One: Chapter 2

Mike gazed around in disbelief at his surroundings. He was right in the heart of the Zerg cluster, and was surrounded by Zerg buildings. Fortunately, there were very few Zerg units, as they were probably not expecting an attack that would hit their center. Also, there were no Sunken Colonies, which made the mission a whole lot easier. Mike counted only four Zerglings and two Hydralisks.  
  
Gathering up his courage, he leapt from the Falcon, landing hard onto the ground, right next to a Spore Colony, which, fortunately, could not detect him. His feet sunk a few inches into the Creep, and he had to pull his legs free with his hands. He looked at his watch, which he had set to count down the thirty seconds they would have to activate their Omnipaths. Seventeen seconds left. "Remember boys, don't activate your Omnipaths until the last second possible, we need all the time we can get." Mike whispered over the comlink. He wasn't sure if the Omnipath blocked out sound detection, but he wasn't taking any chances.  
  
"I see the Cerebrate. It's about forty yards to your left Sergeant." Walker said, motioning in the direction. Mike turned his head around, and spotted the Cerebrate. It was nearly two times larger than a Protoss Reaver, and weighed atleast five tons. Grey slime dripped from its massive frame, and its body shook madly with each psychic command it sent to the Zerg. Mike looked down at his watch. Five seconds left. "Alright boys, its go time." He switched on his Omnipath, and held his breath. Nothing. The Zerg couldn't see him. Mike breathed a sigh of relief and motioned for Moreno and Walker to follow.  
  
"Moreno, use your Tarantulas to cover our tracks, we might have to shift pretty fast if these Omnipaths crap out." Mike advised as he sprinted towards the Cerebrate. The Tarantulas were actually a smaller version of the Spider Mines used by the Vulture, designed for use by ground infantry. Moreno opened the bag that was slung over his shoulder. He withdrew six small mines, each about the size of Mike's palm. They were small, but packed a huge punch. Moreno planted a mine every five or so yards.  
  
They reached the Cerebrate quite quickly, and Moreno produced a large bomb from the bag. About one foot in length and width, it had two capsules, each filled with large amounts of weapons grade plutonium, thought not enough to equal the amount of a nuclear bomb. He placed the bomb at the foot of the Cerebrate, and struggled to activate it, as it had literally been coated in slime that dripped off the slug. Finally he got it, and the timer began to count down from three minutes. They were about to head back to the drop point when suddenly the sound of a spore ripped through the air. Mike looked towards the sky to see the Sunken Colony's Seeker Spore slam into the underside of the Falcon II.  
  
"Shit! The Omnipath won't reactivate; I can't land unless you eliminate that Spore Colony!" Lance's frantic voice came over the comlink, as he pulled the Falcon out of the Spore's range.  
  
"This is not good. What do we do?" Moreno asked, watching as the Falcon soared high above the planet. Loading his C-10 Mike responded coolly.  
  
"We do what he said to do. We take out the Spore Colony." Mike was taking aim at the Spore Colony when suddenly his Omnipath made a whirring sound and disactivated. The timer was up. Suddenly an Overlord appeared overhead and detected the Ghosts. Then in a flash the Zerg attacked. Mike was amazed at how fast they reacted, but he had no time to think about it as a hail of Acid rained down as the Hydralisks first Needle Spine at them, pelting their suit shields. None got through, but in less than ten five seconds Mike's suit shield was down to sixty-three percent.  
  
"I'll take out the Colony, you cover me!" Walker yelled, pulling a grenade from his belt and running in the Spore Colony's direction. A Zergling emerged from behind a building, charging madly towards Walker. Mike quickly took aim and took the Zergling through the neck, cleanly separating its head from its shoulders. With no time to gloat over his kill, the Ghost snapped back to the action and shot a Hydralisk in the chest. The sweet sound of the Hydralisks dying shrieks greeted the Sergeants ears as he continued firing at the advancing ranks.  
  
"They're spawning!" Moreno yelled, frantically firing at a pair of Zerglings that emerged from an egg. All around larvae were mutating, and within seconds the whole area was filled with Zerglings and Hydralisks. Behind him, Mike heard a large explosion and he turned to see the Spore Colony blow up.  
  
"All right!" Walker whooped. Suddenly Mike heard a huge roar, quickly followed by Walker's scream of terror. He turned to see a huge Ultralisk bearing down on Walker with insane speed, Kaiser Blades slashing wildly. Forgetting the Zerg's behind him. Mike began shooting wildly at the huge beast, but to no avail. Even when a bullet did succeed in finding its way through the Carapace, nothings seemed to even faze the monster. Roars and screams filled the air as the Ultralisk reached Walker. Walker began desperately firing shots into the Ultralisk's face, but then his upper body fell to the ground as the Ultralisks Kaiser Blade seared through the man's midsection life a knife through hot butter. For the first time that day, human blood splattered against the ground.  
  
"Jaaaaaaaaaaames!" Moreno screamed. He began to run towards his fallen comrade when Mike grabbed his arm and pulled him back.  
  
"Don't be a fool, you'll just be killed!" Mike said, jerking the distraught man back. His grip was quickly relinquished as a Hydralisk emerged from an egg right behind him and the next thing the Ghost knew, Needle Spines were burning through his back.  
  
"Aaaaaaarrrrrrgghhh!" Mike bellowed in pain, dropping to one knee. The acid burned through the flesh on his back. --Oh dear god this hurts!-- Moreno jerked him up, causing another shout of pain.  
  
"C'mon Sarge, we gotta move!" Moreno began half-running, half-dragging the Sergeant.  
  
"I'm okay, don't worry." Trying best to ignore the pain, and the smell of burning flesh that filled his nostrils, he plucked himself up and ran. Suddenly Mike heard a beep and one of Moreno's Tarantula mine's emerged from the Creep, exploding into a group of Zerglings. Mike smiled grimly, the Tarantulas would cover them now. Lance had landed the Falcon and now the door slid open. Tarantula after Tarantula slammed into the Zerg, beating them back furiously. Before long, over thirty Zerg's were dead as a result of the mines. Putting on a last sprint, Mike dived into the Falcon, followed by Moreno.  
  
"Lance, get us outta here!" Mike yelled, slamming the door shut. A Zergling through itself at the door, but I didn't even dent the Galdium body. --Kellhoff was right, that shit's strong!-- The Falcon II lifted off the ground and shot off into space, leaving the shrieking Zerg army behind. But the cries did not last very long, as the Cerebrates bomb silenced them for eternity.  
  
***Authors Note: I fixed some grammatical errors in Chapter 1**** 


	3. Million To One: Chapter 3

Lieutenant Mikhail Grishoff jerked back on the stick, causing his Wraith to fly upwards. A beam of energy passed directly beneath him, right where he had been a spit second before.  
  
"Ha, missed me Boris! Your aim must be getting worse in your old age!" Mikhail laughed at the veteran Colonel. On the computer screen, he saw the man's face scrunch up, the footage thanks to the onboard camera.  
  
"I may be old, but I can still beat you anytime!" Boris Lukovich retorted sharply, firing another energy beam at the speeding wraith.  
  
"Bring it pops!" Mikhail taunted, easily avoiding the beam. He turned his Wraith quickly around and went straight at Boris. Then at the last second, he swooped down and beneath the Colonel. Tugging the stick hard to the right, he did a one-eighty and came up behind the man, firing off two quick shots. Boris anticipated this and executed a barrel roll, and Mikhail's shots narrowly missed his left wing.  
  
"You can't keep dodging me forever gramps!" Mikhail shouted, turning hard around to face the Colonel again. Boris went up a little bit, just enough so that he skimmed over top of Mikhail's Wraith. The veteran was no fool, he had been in many battles and training sequences. Exercising his expertise, the Colonel went straight down, until he was about one hundred yards below the Lieutenant. He waited until Mikhail had passed over head and then turned sharply around, and came up on the unsuspecting mans underside.  
  
"Game over pup!" Boris laughed, firing a single shot at the exposed Wraith. It slammed into the plane, encircling it in an inescapable energy field.  
  
"Alright, you won, you old codger." Mikhail conceded defeat, and tried his best not to be a poor loser, despite the fact that he was very competitive, and like most people, did not enjoy losing. "Now let's get back to base or General Gray will have our asses on a platter."  
  
"Ah, he's just an old softie, pay no heed to him." Boris chuckled. The veteran waited until the energy field surrounding Mikhail had dispersed and then they began to fly back.  
  
"Ha! I'd like to hear you say that to his face!" Mikhail laughed, his good mood restoring.  
  
"Yea, that'd be quite a show wouldn't it? Quite a show indeed!"  
  
*****  
  
Once they arrived back, they promptly headed to the Starport, where the General was waiting. They found the man in the map room, drawing something on a map of Khan'Alas. They entered as quietly as possible, hoping not to incur the wrath of the General.  
  
"You're late." General Colin Gray said, without bothering to turn around. Boris shared a silent laugh with Mikhail, the General's tone was a testament to what Mikhail had said during their fight.  
  
"Sorry General, I had to "beat" some sense into a certain wet-behind the ears pup." Boris said, sending a smirk Mikhail's way.  
  
"Pup yourself you old geezer. What really happened General wa...."  
  
"I don't care what happened. Let's just get down to business shall we?" Colin said impatiently, turning to face them for the first time since they entered. Boris and Mikhail shared one more silent laugh, then joined the irritated General next to the map.  
  
"As you probably know, Sergeant, err, Major Mike O'Connor's mission was a success, except for the loss of James Walker. The Cerebrate was destro..."  
  
"Mike got promoted? That's great, I really must congrautlate hi..."  
  
"Boris would you please tell the Lieutenant to keep his mouth shut?" Colin said, become more irritated. A quick nod from Boris was enough to silence the embarrassed Lieutenant.  
  
"Thank you. As I was saying, the Cerebrate was destroyed, and as a result the Zerg are unorganized, making this the perfect time to reclaim Khan'Alas." The General reasoned, pulling out a blue pen. Drawing a line on the map, he turned to face the two pilots. "This ridge hear is the perfect place to strike. About one-quarter mile from the fringes of the Zerg base. We will position our men on this plain like so, with our tanks positioned at the highest point in the ridge. To reach us, the Zerg will have to run up a steep incline, giving us a huge advantage. However, once the Zerg pick up our signal, they'll be swarming over that whole area before our Dropships have a chance to unload the grounds units."  
  
He paused to take a breath and drew a circle right at the edge of the Zerg's base. "Here is where your air forces come in to play. It is your job to hold the Zerg back until we are ready to allow them through. It shouldn't take more than five minutes, but for the duration of the that time, you'll have not only the Hydralisks and Mutalisks to contend with, but there are a few Spore Colonies in the area as well."  
  
"What do we do once the infantry is ready?" Boris asked, mentally jogging through the General's plan.  
  
"You will remain in the premises and eliminate any air forces that the Zerg send. The tanks and Infantry can deal with the ground forces, but they will have severe difficulty fending off any flyers that manage to get through."  
  
"How many are you sending in?" Mikhail asked, saying something for the first time since the General had snapped at him.  
  
"Accompanying you and the Colonel will be the 3rd, 6th and 9th Volamose Wraith Squadrons, along with the 2nd and 8th Kolorina Legion Wraith Squadrons."  
  
"The Kolorina Protectorate is involved in this?" Boris asked, surprised that the Volamose General was taking such measures to ensure victory.  
  
"I know we and General Miller have had our differences in the past, but were both fighting for the same objective; preserving humanity." Colin explained, adding the little cliche at the end.  
  
"I'm not so sure that that's Miller's motive for helping, General. I've never trusted that bastard in the past and I'm sure as hell not gonna start now!" Boris said indignantly.  
  
"You will do as you're told Colonel." The General said coldy, then turning his attention back to the map, he drew a couple more sketches. "You have your orders, and I expect you to carry them out." 


	4. Million To One: Chapter 4

"This is Cobra King, Cobra's do you copy?" Mikhail said, fiddling with the radio on his head. All sixty pilots reported in, all systems were running at full capacity. They were winging across the jungle lands of Khan'Alas towards the Zerg base. The ground was covered in vegetation, all the lively green was refreshing. Up ahead Mikhail saw Boris flying right above the tree line.  
  
"You might want to get a little bit more altitude old timer, or you'll be in ashes on the ground before we even get to the battle!" Mikhail jeered, pulling up beside him.  
  
"You worry about your own flying, its bad enough as it is." Boris retorted, but never the less he pulled up.  
  
"All right Cobra's were almost there. Zero in on the Centauri Quadrant, coordinates 68.378.911. Were receiving a bit of tailwind, we should be there in no time. Get yourselves prepared boys, `cause this is it." Mikhail said, punching in the coordinates on his computer. The autopilot readjusted his direction by a few degrees, so that he was flying straight towards the plain. Out of the side of the window he saw the Kolorina Wraiths, flying level with his own boys. From over a ridge a huge aircraft appeared, at least four hundred feet long.  
  
"This is Volamose Protectorate Team Cobra Leader, do you copy Kolorina leader?" Mikhail asked, keeping his gaze locked on the peculiar aircraft.  
  
"This is Kolorina Team Alpha Leader, I read you loud and clear Cobra Leader." The Alpha Leader's voice greeted Mikhail's ears.  
  
"You seem to be towing a lil' something extra."  
  
The pilot laughed. "Yeah, on General Miller's orders. That's an airborne aircraft carrier. We got some Wraith's in there, along with rookie pilots, in case we need them. But, I think with my boys and yours combined should we able to take these Zergs out."  
  
"Let's certainly hope so. Cobra Leader out." Mikhail shut down the transmission, turning his attention to the Zerg base that had appeared over the horizon. Mikhail readjusted the knobs on his radio until he was on General Gray's frequency. "This is Cobra King, target is in sight."  
  
"All right Lieutenant this is the real thing, lets show these freaks what humans are made of."  
  
"I won't let you down General. Boy's you heard the man, lets wax these critters!" Mikhail commanded, jamming forward on the throttle. He heard the screeching of Mutalisks as twenty of them appeared, their jagged wings flapping madly to keep their long, worm like bodies in the air. Mikhail flipped open the cap on his stick, and pressed the red button that was there. Immediately two Gemini missiles streaked out towards the nearest Mutalisk. Gore flew everywhere as the missile's connected with the Mutalisk dead on. Blood whipped against the side of his plane, covering it in an oozing red.  
  
"Come on you bastards, where are the rest of you?" Mikhail wondered. They had certainly figured on their being more than twenty defenders. Then, as if on cure, thirty-six Hydralisks unburrowed from directly beneath them. Mikhail watched in anguish as Needle Spines tore through the hull of one of his men. The plane began smoking, then dropped towards the ground like a rock.  
  
"This is Cobra six, I'm hit, preparing to eject!" The pilot's frantic voice came over the com-link, and then he ejected his seat. The seat rocketed up in there as the Wraith exploded on the ground. A parachute flew out from the backside of the seat, and the pilot began slowly drifting to the ground, but not for long. A Glave Worm tore through the parachute, creating a huge hole in the fabric. The pilot screamed as he hurtled to the ground. If he wasn't dead upon impact, he certainly died when six Zerglings unburrowed and massacred the unconscious or dead pilot.  
  
Mikhail fought back tears of anger, and immediately winged towards the Mutalisks that had ripped his chute. He fired off two more Gemini Missiles, a grim smile of satisfaction appearing on his lips as the missiles exploded into the Mutalisk's chest. The corpse, or what was left of it, fell to the ground, right next to the body of the man it had killed.  
  
"This is Cobra King, team give me your status reports." Two planes were down, both pilots killed in the explosion. Cobra Fourteen had its shields knocked offline, so Mikhail flew over to protect it. On the ground, the Zerg continued to spawn, the favor of them Hydralisks. Mikhail spotted a large group of them clumped together, taking shots at one of the Kalorian fighters. He fired off several burst lasers, and much to his satisfaction, two of the Hydralisks heads were blown off. The other Hydralisks panicked and scrambled, making them easy targets for the other planes. Within seconds they were dead, victims of the Volamose Protectorate.  
  
Mikhail saw another one of his Wraiths go down as three Seeker Spores slammed into its hull. The plane exploded in mid-air, sending burning shrapnel everywhere. Mikhail watched as a flaming piece of metal imbedded in a Mutalisks midsection, and soon the Zerg was completely ablaze. Mikhail shielded his eyes from the extreme light as the flaming corpse smashed into a Hive. Mikhail immediately turned his attention to the Spore Colony that had loosed the Spores. It was about forty yards away, right on the fringe of the Creep.  
  
Angling his Wraith for a fly-by, Mikhail went full throttle at the building. It loosed Seeker Spore's at him, but the plane was too fast. All the Spores went behind him. Mikhail readied his Burst Lasers, and once he was in range he fired six quick shots. Two missed, but the other four quickly reduced the building to a heap of organic flesh. The Creep shriveled away from where the colony just was, revealing a barren patch of dirt.  
  
"Alpha Leader, this is Cobra King, how are your boys doing." Mikhail asked as he picked off another Hydralisk with his lasers.  
  
"Four down, but we've dished out three times as much as we've received." The pilot responded, and out of the corner of his eye Mikhail saw him rip apart a Mutalisk.  
  
"General, how long until the Infantry Unit is ready?"  
  
"We've had some engine problems on three of the Dropships, you'll have to hold out for a few more minutes." The General responded, a ting of worry in his gruff voice.  
  
"Not a problem General, we outnumber these critters three to one. Cobra King out." Mikhail turned his attention back to the battle, and flew towards a Mutalisk that was rapidly firing Glave Worms at him. None even got close, Mikhail was too skilled. He loosed another set of Gemini Missiles at the Mutalisk, watching as it tried to avoid it. One of the missiles missed, but the other took the Zerg through the wing, sending it hurtling to the ground. Mikhail winced as the crippled Mutalisk screeched all the way down, until it smashed with so much force that Mikhail could hear the bones breaking from fifty feet up.  
  
"This is still too easy, something's up. Be watchful boys." Mikhail advised. He was getting very suspicious. The General said that once the Zerg picked up their signal, the area would be swarming. However, he only counted thirteen remaining Mutalisks and twenty Hydralisks.  
  
"Mikhail the Infantry Unit is set up, you can pull back now, turn all your attention to the airborne Zerg's." General Gray's voice came over the comlink.  
  
"Alright boys the Infantry is ready, retreat to cover them." Mikhail turned sharply around, and saw the Infantry on the ridge. At the very top, thirty tanks had been deployed into Siege mode. A mixture of Marines and Firebats stood guard by them, with a small unit of Ghosts, with Sniper Rifle's at the ready. Mikhail thought he saw Major O'Connor among them, but he wasn't sure  
  
"King Cobra this is Alpha Leader, I got a little message from General Miller for you." The Kolorian leader said.  
  
"I don't really care what that bastards got to say." Mikhail snapped, not wanting to speak to the man in the least.  
  
"I think its something your going to want to hear Lieutenant." The man persisted, and Mikhail insisted that he heard the man snicker.  
  
"Fine, patch the bastard through." He sighed, giving in. A moment later, an image of Miller flashed on the computer screen.  
  
"Greetings, Lieutenant. I am General Edward Mille..."  
  
"I know who you are. Say your piece and be gone." Mikhail snapped. Just the sound of the treacherous man's voice made him angry. All the men knew of his past betrayals, though he had always found a way to worm out of trouble.  
  
"Such disrespect to your commanding Officers! I see the incompetent General Gray is as soft as ever, if this is how he allows his men to speak to their superiors." The General snickered, he and Colin had issues in the past.  
  
"You're not my commanding Officer, nor are you my superior. Your scum." Mikhail replied.  
  
"How dare you speak to me in that manner! If anyone is scu..." Then the General stopped. "Not that what you say matters, you'll be defeated in a few minutes."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"You're fighting a for a loosing cause Lieutenant. The human race is coming to an end, the new Overmind is the one true galactic leader!"  
  
"You treacherous bitch! You've allied with the Zerg!"  
  
"Allied? I prefer to call it a union for mutual gain. You see, soon the Zerg will be one the one true force in the Universe, and the only remaining humans will be my men and I, Emperor Edward Miller!"  
  
"Emperor? Not likely, traitor! Besides, haven't you forgotten about the Protoss?" Mikhail pointed out indignantly.  
  
"The Protoss? Ha! When was the last time you heard from them? After the events that took place during the Brood Wars, I'd be surprised if there is any will to fight in any of them." The General laughed, enjoying his betrayal.  
  
"Your insane!"  
  
"Some people would call me insane, some would call me genius. I am not betraying the human race, I am merely preserving what will be left of it. If I did not side with the Zerg, I would be wiped out, just like you are about to be!" The General flashed an evil grin. "I am merely batting for the winning team Lieutenant."  
  
"And then what happens when the Zerg turn on you, just like you will eventually to them?"  
  
"I don't think that will happen. There would be no benefit to destroying us, they would merely lose a powerful ally."  
  
"A powerful ally against what? The Protoss? Its like you said, the Protoss are defeated. If you wipe us out, you'll be the only other military force left! Do you actually believe the Zerg fight because they want control of the universe? Ha! They fight because they're bloodthirsty freaks! Once were dead, they'll target whats left of the Protoss, and then what? Do you think they'll be content knowing they're the rulers of the universe?" It was Mikhail's turn to laugh, apparently Miller overlooked that.  
  
"Uhh.." The general was stunned.  
  
"Ha! You didn't think of that, did you, Emperor Miller?" Mikhail added a heavy dose of sarcasm to the last two words.  
  
"Bah! What you saw does not matter to me! If that happens, I'll deal with it then! But if I were you, I wouldn't be worrying about the future, because you're not going to be a part of it!" The General retorted. "I grow tired of this arguing! Alpha Leader!"  
  
"Yes, General?" The pilot responded.  
  
Miller paused for a second. "Blow them out of the sky."  
  
"With pleasure General." The man laughed, and Mikhail heard him order his squadrons to attack.  
  
"Do you actually think you will beat us? We outnumber and outskill your squadrons." Mikhail said nervously.  
  
"Not quite! Remember the carrier? It didn't have Wraiths on it." Miller smirked.  
  
"Then what is?"  
  
Miller picked up a radio, all the while grinning evilly at Mikhail. "Team Bravo! Attaaaaaaaaaaaack!"  
  
"Team Bravo! What the hell!" Mikhail shouted, searching frantically around for other Kolorina units. Then he noticed the huge door on the carrier slid open, revealing a space hundreds of feet wide. Mikhail heard the powering up of engines, and the next thing he saw was hundreds of Valkyrie planes fly out of the aircraft and unleash waves of rockets on the Volamose Wraiths. 


	5. Million To One: Chapter 5

Mikhail swerved right to avoid the cavalcade of rockets that came at him as the Valkyrie's descended upon the helpless Wraiths. A rocket sped over his head, coming within an inch of the crafts top. Mikhail locked onto the Valkyrie that fired it and loosed two Gemini Missiles. They struck the Valkyrie solidly, blowing the ship apart in mid-flight. The wreckage hurtled to the ground, where a ground war was raging. The Kolorian ground units, who outnumbered the Volamose ground units two to one were unleashing upon there brethren. Mikhail saw a bullet rip through the neck of a Volamose Marine, exiting out the back end. The man fell to his knees, clutching at the gaping hole in his windpipe. Blood flowed evenly through the cracks between his fingers, and then he fell forward, never to rise again. Mikhail felt a burst of rage but could do nothing, he had to look after himself.  
  
"Lieutenant, I've considered many possibilities, and I've decided that I could use a strong man like yourself in my army. It's either that, or you can join your comrades at the gates of hell." Miller said over the comlink.  
  
"I'll meet you there General!" Mikhail yelled angrily. He swerved up as more rockets came at him. --I can't fight these things, I gotta get the hell outta here!-- It was then that he noticed his energy level. It was at a fully charged two hundred-fifty, meaning his cloak could operate on full capacity. He flipped the switch, and instantly his craft disappeared, save for a small blur that moved stealthily across the sky. Mikhail slammed the throttle forward and the plane shot forward like a bullet from a gun. But still the Valkyrie's pursued him.  
  
"Oh please Lieutenant! It's an insult that I haven't predicted your every move!" Miller mocked him. Mikhail then noticed a floating Science Vessel, about fifty yards back. He was about to turn around to take it out when a rocket slammed into his wing. The impact blew the wing clean off, sending the craft out of control. The inside of his craft started flashing red, basking the cockpit in an eerie glow. A computer voice repeated "Warning, Warning. Eject. Eject," over and over again as the crippled craft spiraled towards the seemingly growing ground. Mikhail struggled to keep the plane steady, but it had lost all flight capabilities. The ground was coming up fast, and Mikhail had no choice.  
  
He slammed his palm against the flashing eject button, and he was jolted back as his seat rocketed out of the plane. The Wraith crashed into the ground, sending jets of flame streaking in the air. The seat traveled upwards for a few seconds, and then began its descent, triggering the parachute release. The back of the seat fell open and the parachute billowed out, slowing Mikhail's descent to a float. He looked around and prayed no one had seen him eject, and fortunately, the black smoke from the wreckage of his Wraith swirled around him, encasing him like a blanket. While it protected him from sight, he began to feel woozy as he continued to rapidly inhale smoke. The toxins filled his lungs, and then all he saw was black.  
  
*****  
  
"Good, your finally awake."  
  
Mikhail groaned as he pulled himself up in to a sitting position. He rubbed his weary eyes with the back of his hand, clearing the soil from them. His eyelids fluttered open and he cast his arm over his eyes in an attempt to shield his eyes from the intense light. Mikhail guessed it was dawn, for the blazing rim of the sun had breached the shoulders of the barren land, filling the valleys and plains with light. Purple and red streaked across the sky, an effect created by the mingling of the many colors of the suns rays.  
  
Turning his attention away from the sunrise, he looked at the man who had spoke. Blinking a few times, the mans face gradually cleared up. "Mike?"  
  
"Aye, its me." Mike nodded, passing the dazed Lieutenant a canteen. Mikhail didn't bother to ask what it was, his throat felt like a desert. He tossed his head back allowed the soothing liquid to gush down his parched throat. When he had quenched his intolerable thirst, he passed the canteen back.  
  
"What happened?" Mikhail asked, massaging his temples. His head was pounding, he had never felt so bad in his life.  
  
"Kolorians turned on us. My Ghost team was wiped out, but I managed to get away. I found you here, strapped tightly into your seat, totally out of it. I didn't know if you were going to pull through, your breathing was very weak." Mike explained. He struck a match against a rock, setting fire to the tip. He had collected a pitiful pile of dead wood, but in a few seconds he had a warming fire going. The light danced across Mikhail's fair skinned face, providing him with meager comfort.  
  
"Anyone else survive?" Mikhail asked.  
  
Mike shook his head sadly, "No, unfortunately. Kolorians didn't want to leave any trace of their betrayal behind. While I was cloaked I overheard two of the soldiers talking. Apparently Miller plans to feed General Gray a bunch of bullshit about a trap by the Zerg."  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"Yeah. Miller wants to take out Kadnor VI, and I meant take it out. If he has his way, it will be no more than space dust." Mike said.  
  
"We have to warn them! They will be totally unprepared for an attack, let alone one from who they think as an ally!"  
  
"We can't. My communications are out, that Science Vessel sent out an EMP Shockwave, totally fried my communications." Mike explained, presenting the useless piece of equipment. Mike took out his, only to find that it too had been scrambled.  
  
"Damnit!" Mikhail swore, smashing his radio against the ground. "So there's nothing we can do?!"  
  
"Well... there was one thing, but..."  
  
"What? What was it?"  
  
"Well, for some reason my scanners weren't affected by the Shockwave. Don't know why, but it's not important. Anyway, I was picking up all Zerg buildings and then I noticed a small little bit of what looked like a Terran building. I tapped into a satellite orbiting this planet and zoomed in on the area. This is what I found." Mike pressed a button on his scanner and showed the image to Mikhail.  
  
"An Infested Command Center?"  
  
"Yeah. It looks pretty old, it was probably abandoned long before the Zerg took over this planet." Mike said.  
  
"But how could that help us?" Mikhail asked, staring at the image. Purple organisms weaved throughout the building and alien vegetation coated the walls. The walls were basically in ruins, it looked like the vine like organisms were the only thing holding the building together.  
  
"Well, the scanner showed the building as being a Terran one. A fully Infested Center would appear as a Zerg building. The Zerg must've stopped the Infestation before it was complete."  
  
"I still don't understand how this would be of any use." Mike repeated.  
  
"Well, look at it logically. If they didn't completely take over the Center, then there's a possibility that the communications would have been left untouched. So if we..."  
  
"We sneak in and use that radio!" Mikhail exclaimed, leaping to his feet.  
  
"Well that's what I was thinking, but it won't be easy." Mike said.  
  
"Why not? Where's the Center?"  
  
"Right in there." Mike said, pointing to the west. Mikhail looked where the Major's finger was pointing and groaned.  
  
The Command Center was located right in the heart of the Zerg cluster. 


	6. Million To One: Chapter 6

"Well, what are we waiting for, lets go!" Mikhail said enthusiastically, pulling a pistol from his belt.  
  
"Ha! Do you really think you'll do anything with that?" Mike laughed. "Here, take this. Belonged to one of my men." Mike handed him a C-10 Canister rifle, the same model that he had, then turned his head away. He was obviously upset at having his whole unit slaughtered by the Kolorians.  
  
"Don't worry," Mikhail said, gently placing his hand on the Major's shoulder. "We'll get them back."  
  
"Yeah, we will." Mike said, a little bit of moisture pooling in the corner of his eye. He gathered himself together and stood up. "I would like to wait until night falls to strike, so we're covered by darkness, but we don't know when Miller is going to attack." He took out his scanner. "According to this satellite image, there's a high ridge that extends for a couple hundred yards and stops about a forty yards from the Command Center. There are only a few buildings, but only one or two Sunken Colonies."  
  
"Plus we'll have high ground."  
  
"Exactly. Should the need arise, we'll be in a much better situation to defend ourselves if they have to shoot up." Mike stomped out the fire and grabbed his equipment. "Let's go. We've got about a two-hour walk till we reach the ridge, and the Zerg base extends almost to the tip of it. There's one Sunken Colony about fifty feet from where the ridge starts, so we'll have to press tight to the other side, and hopefully we'll be out of its range."  
  
"Ok, let's get a move on." Mikhail said. They began their long walk across the barren lands, occasionally coming into contact with a small herd of Rhynadons, but both parties left the other alone. They walked consistently for the estimated two hours, then the ridge came into view. It was a small cliff, about twenty-five feet high. The edge leaned out, extending for about ten feet, under which was a small cluster of Zerg buildings. Aside from a few patches of crab grass, some small tufts of yellow weeds, and a dead tree that had fallen long ago, the cliff was totally barren, making it all the more difficult to remain unseen.  
  
"This would be a lot easier if there was some trees." Mikhail remarked. Mike merely nodded, he was busy looking through a pair of binoculars.  
  
"I see it." Mike said, passing the binoculars to Mikhail. He peered into them, following the cliff until it ended. The scanner image told the truth, the Center was only a little bit away from the edge of the ridge. A Sunken Colony was nearby, along with a few Hydralisks. An Overlord circulated overhead, long vines extending nearly to the ground. The technology the binoculars incorporated was very advanced, and was able to detect heat signatures. There was a small cluster of burrowed Zerglings, Mikhail estimated about six, but the binoculars could not detect depth, and a Zerglings heat signature could be concealed behind another's.  
  
"There's no Ultralisks. That's definitely a good thing." Mike remarked, taking the binoculars back. "I've had some rough experiences with Ultralisks." Seeing that this was a tender bruise for the Major, Mikhail didn't probe for more in-depth information.  
  
"Oh crap." Mike said, looking again through the binoculars.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Hydralisks, about eight of 'em, burrowed at the foot of the ridge." Mike cursed under his breath, this definitely was an unwelcomed turn of events.  
  
"What do we do? You can get by with your cloak, but I'll be spotted immediately. I was never trained in stealth; when you fly a Wraith, you are stealth."  
  
"Hmmm...there is one thing that might work." Mike said slowly, deeply in thought. "There's a hive about two hundred feet from the ridge. I got a grenade with me, and if I 'nade that building, they'll all come running. They lose a hive; they lose a major part of their operation. Those Hydralisks will come as well, but they won't see me."  
  
"Won't they send an Overlord?" Mikhail asked.  
  
"Ha!" Mike laughed, slapping his thigh in hilarity. "Have you ever seen an Overlord move? They're about as fast as a Zergling once you cut off its legs!"  
  
"Good point." Mikhail said, a small smile finding its way to the corner of his mouth. It was good to feel joyful, relieved some anxiety of the impending mission.  
  
"Alright, lets get this pitiful two-man show on the road. Is your com-link still working?" Mikhail asked, tapping the small piece of machinery in his ear.  
  
"No, got fried in the EMP." Mikhail said, remembering the radio still in his ear.  
  
"Here take this one," Mike said, passing him an extra. "Set it to frequency 18.322.865, and don't bother trying to call to base, the radio waves can't penetrate the dense atmosphere." Mikhail took it and placed it in his ear.  
  
"Computer, set frequency 18.322.865." Mikhail spoke as if to no once.  
  
"Alright, lets move. On the right side of the ridge there is a small patch of bush. Hide in that until I radio you. I'll watch for the Hydralisks, don't move until you hear from me."  
  
"Check. What about you?"  
  
"I'll swing left and draw their attention as planned, then run back here as fast as possible. Once you get on the ridge, cover your self with some branches and lie flat until I reach you." He loaded his gun and looked up. "Good luck soldier."  
  
*****  
  
"Greetings Terran, I suggest the operation went as planned." An eerie voice spoke a long, slow moan.  
  
"Yes, flawlessly. All Volamose forces were eliminated, with very minimal casualties on our side." A human spoke, very uneasily.  
  
"Good...good...what now?" They first voice droned.  
  
"We are to carry out the planned assault on Kadnor VI. They have no evidence of our turning and will be completely unprepared for an attack by their own brethren." The human voice responded.  
  
"Excellent...but don't forget whom you serve, General Miller."  
  
"My loyalties lie squarely with the Overmind." Miller said.  
  
"And don't you ever, ever forget that."  
  
*****  
  
Mikhail crouched low, hastily bidding his way towards the small bush at the foot of the ridge. No Zerg were around, and fortunately no Overlords floated above. He made it to the bush without incident, bushing away the thorny branches with his hand. Ignoring the pain of the needles. He scrambled into the center of the bush, and sat back on his feet. His heart was beating like mad in his chest, he feared the echo of each beat would bring a rain of Zerg upon him.  
  
"Mikhail, do you read me?" A low, raspy voice came over the radio.  
  
"Loud and clear, I'm under cover in the bush." Mikhail whispered back, not wanting to draw unwanted attention by speaking too loud.  
  
"Good, I'm about to hit the Hive, stand by." Mike responded, followed by some static. Suddenly Mikhail heard a loud explosion that thundered through the air, violently shaking the ground he sat upon. The sudden vibration caused him to lose his balance and he fell forward. A thorn jabbed through his palm, causing him to cry out in sudden pain. He quickly clasped a hand over his yelling mouth, fully expecting to see a Hydralisk head appear. None came, they had probably already gone to investigate the explosion. He waited for a few moments for Mike's transmission, meanwhile pulling the long thorn from his hand. It had almost gone clean through, and he grimaced as he yanked the wide needle out. Ripping a strip of clothing off his shirt a sleeve, he made a quick bandage to stop the bloodflow.  
  
Suddenly a bit of static came over the radio, followed by Mike's hushed whisper. "Alright the Hydralisks have left the ridge your clear to move. Go now, before they come back." Not even bothering to respond, Mikhail tore out of the bush, paying little heed to the thorns that scratched along his skin. Once again bending low, he scrambled towards the ridge, quickly ascending the incline. He hastily made his way towards the log. He threw his body to the ground, rolling up against the log in an attempt to conceal as much of his body as possible. There were plenty branches around, and he piled them on top of his body. Ripping handful of grass from a nearby tuft, he covered his face, save his eyes, and lay very, very still.  
  
Then he heard what he had most feared. What sounded like three Hydralisks were coming in his direction. They stopped right next to him, their massive bodies looming ominously in the sky. They argued back and forth in the strange Zerg language as Mikhail held his breath, fearing to breathe. It looked as if they were going to leave when the worst thing happened.  
  
"Mikhail? Are you there?" Instantly the Hydralisk conversation hushed, and they came over. -- Oh god no, this is the end! -- However, the Hydralisks made no movements! They didn't notice him, shoved up against the side of the log. Then, without notice Mike tried again. "Mikhail, respond, what's going on!?"  
  
Instantly three Hydralisk heads snapped in his direction.  
  
  
  
  
  
*****Authors Note- This took me a looong time to get out, I had run out of ideas on how to script the next scene. Sorry, but hopefully you enjoyed it. At this time I'd like you to direct your attention to the "Review It" button at the bottom of your screen! Please click on it, and tell me what you thought of the chapter :)***** 


	7. Million To One: Chapter 7

The Hydralisks were looking right at Mikhail. He could feel their foul breath wafting across his face, they're acrid odor swirling within his nostrils. Acid dripped from the hundreds on needle teeth in their mouths, falling down on to the ground. Mikhail fought back the urge to gag. Then, the Hydralisks moved away. The camouflage had worked! When the retreating footsteps could no longer be heard, Mikhail gathered the courage to scramble to his knees. He bent low over the log, looking for Mike.  
  
"Mike, where are you?" Mikhail hissed over the radio. He saw the hive that Mike had targeted. It hadn't been destroyed, but there was a large chunk missing where the grenade had hit. Zerg were milling around the area almost like there was a Psi Emitter. At least ten Overlords bobbed in the air above, screeching reports to the ground troops.  
  
"I'm making my way up the foot of the ridge right now." Mike said. Mikhail looked to the left and saw him. It was rather eerie, because it looked like he was only half there. His body was transparent, but you could still make out the individual parts of his body. It looked kind of like a hologram. The Volamose cloak units were made to hide the unit from sight to all but their own men, no one save the Volamose soldiers could see.  
  
Mike reached him shortly and crouched down beneath the log. He pressed a button on his suit and instantly the field that encased him disappeared.  
  
"Used up almost all my energy. Cloak was about to crap out." Mike said, tapping the small piece of machinery attached to his left forearm. Blue numbers flashed "16", indicating the suit's energy level.  
  
"How long does it take to recharge?"  
  
"Hard to say. Usually about ten minutes." Mike said easily. "They'll be swarming around the area continuously for about that long until they've ascertained that there is no threat. That makes this an ample time to cover ground." He sprung to his feet and hauled Mikhail up. They were away in a moment, keeping pinned to the outermost ledge of the ridge. Mike repeatedly looked through the binoculars to check for Zerg, but the path along the ridge was clear. Keeping low, they hastily moved down the ridge without incident. In less than ten minutes the Command Center came into view. There was a small slope that led down to the edge of the Creep. From there, the Center was no more than forty yards away. An easy sprint.  
  
"There's something I don't understand," Mikhail said as they surveyed the area. "Why is the defense around the area so tight. Why would they want to protect that piece of junk?" It was certainly under strong protection. A group of about fifteen Mutalisks screeched overhead, their stubby wings beating the air madly in attempts to keep their long, slimy bodies aloft. Zerglings were burrowed all around, there were at least fifteen. The most concerning part though was the Hydralisks. There was at least twenty in all, some borrowed, some running around frantically.  
  
"I don't have an answer for that," Mike said, "But they've certainly upped the security level."  
  
"If it wasn't impossible then, its impossible now." Mikhail said, exasperated.  
  
"Nothing is impossible." Mike flashed him a roguish grin. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve." He pulled another object from the equipment bag he was still lugging around.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?"  
  
Mike gave him the grin again. "Yep. Flash-bomb. While there stumbling around blindly, we sneak in."  
  
"But won't we be blinded by the flash?" Mikhail said pessimistically. Mike shook his head and handed him a pair of goggles.  
  
"Standard military flash-goggles. Designed for the soul purpose of seeing in total brightness." Mike said. He strapped them to his head but did not pull them down over his eyes. "Whatever you do, do not put them on until I use the bomb. If you do you'll be...."  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"  
  
"...Blinded."  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Mikhail yelled again, tearing the goggles from his face. He frantically rubbed his palms against his eyes, attempting to restore his vision.  
  
"Would you shut up! You'll bring the whole colony on our heads!" Mike hissed angrily. The screams had not alerted the guards fortunately, they were still well out of earshot. Mike's angry expression soon softened. "You really, really do not follow directions well."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, let's just get started already." Mikhail said, replacing the goggles on his head. This time however, he did not pull them down over his eyes. "How long will the flash last?"  
  
"At most, forty-five seconds. That's plenty of time."  
  
"And how do you propose we get in? We can't exactly walk through the front door." Mikhail said, bringing his hand to shield his eyes from the afternoon sun.  
  
"There's an air vent on the right side, wide enough for one of us to fit in at a time." Mike said. "I'm going to use my cloak, if you get spotted I'll open up on them. You just get to the vent." With that he activated his cloak, and then he was gone, save for the transparent outline. Mikhail say the shady outline of his arm pull back, and then the grenade became visible as it left his hand. It sailed through the air and then...  
  
BOOOOOOOOOM!  
  
The grenade exploded in midair, basking the area in an intolerably bright light. Fortunately for both Terrans, they pulled their goggles on just as the bomb exploded. Mikhail heard the sound of screeching Zergs, to the left he saw a Hydralisk practically scratching its eyes out. It was a strange feeling; he knew he should be blinded, but he wasn't.  
  
"Quit dawdling and lets move!" Mike yelled impatiently, taking off down the slope. Mikhail followed suit. They Zergs were starting to get smart, they burrowed in order to shield themselves from the light. Mikhail made his footsteps light, if he ran heavily his feet could get caught in the Creep, and then he'd be in a very, very bad situation.  
  
"Ok, right ahead is the vent, its about ten feet off the ground!" Mike yelled, stopping at the edge of the wall.  
  
"I see it!" Mikhail shouted. "I'm taller than you, get on my back!" He sprawled down of all fours, wincing in disgust as his hands sunk into the Creep. Mike stepped on his back and pulled the grate loose. The pressure was relieved from Mikhail's back as the Major hoisted himself up and into the vent. He turned around and extended his hand down.  
  
"Grab my arm, I'll pull you up!" Mikhail pulled his arms free of the ground, followed by his legs. He grabbed gold of Mike's wrist, careful not to pull. The Major exerted all his strength, grunting and heaving Mikhail until he got a finger-hold. He pulled himself up and into the vent, and gagged as a sudden blast of foul air greeted him.  
  
"Here, put this back on." Mike whispered, handing him the metal grate. Mikhail carefully placed it back on, and just as it clicked the light disappeared. The Zergs stopped screeching and scrambled around, looking for who created the flash. But they didn't search the vent.  
  
"Phew! Let's never, ever do that again." Mikhail panted. Again he gagged, the stench was overpowering.  
  
"Don't open your mouth!" Mike hissed through close lips. They began crawling on all fours, but the going was not easy. The vine-like organisms were all through the vents, making their progress all the more slow. Then came upon another grate in the floor, and through it they saw what appeared to be an old briefing room. Torn maps ornamented the shoddy walls, and cobwebs filled every corner. An old table in the middle, it's oaken legs chipped and cracked. They kept crawling and came across another opening.  
  
"Bulls-eye." Mike chirped. Down below was the control panel, in as shoddy condition as could be expected. The base was cracked and rusted over, many of they keys were missing or broken. The few screens that were not shattered remained hidden behind a thick layer of dust. The room appeared to be unguarded, and the security cameras were broken. Mike put a finger to his lips and removed the grate slowly. Placing his hands on either side of the opening, he slowly dropped down. Mikhail dropped down and crept over to the panel.  
  
"Try the main power switch." Mike whispered, pointing to a large switch. Mikhail pushed it, but to no avail. "Try the back-up." Mikhail flipped up the glass that covered the red switch and pressed it down. Suddenly the computer came to life in a cavalcade of sounds and beeps.  
  
"Oh shit." Mikhail cursed as the sound echoed through the room. Wiping the screen clear with his hand, he began madly punching in commands and frequencies. Mikhail picked up the microphone and held down on the receive button and was greeted by the sounds of static. He dialed into frequency 128.919.874, the Volamose's distress signal.  
  
"This is First Lieutenant Mikhail Grishoff of the Volamose Protectorate Wraith Squadron calling from Khan'Alas, sector 16. This is a priority four- distress call, respond. Over." He anxiously waited for a transmission.  
  
Nothing came back.  
  
"I repeat, This is First Lieutenant Mikhail Grishoff of the Volamose Protectorate Wraith Squadron calling for the 16th sector of Khan Alas! This is a priority four-distress call, respond! Over." He repeated, again waiting. Suddenly the main screen flashed and the General Gray's grizzled face appeared.  
  
"Mikhail! Where the hell are you?" He demanded, his normally serious face creased with worry.  
  
"General I am in an abandoned Command Center in the heart of the Zerg base. Major Mike O'Connor is with me sir. We were both part of the siege on Khan'Alas when we were attacked by-"  
  
"So sorry to interrupt your reunion Lieutenant, but you were breaking my heart." A voice said from behind with false empathy. Mikhail whirled around to see General Miller twirling a cord in his hand. Mike was no where in sight. "I really must commend you on making it this far by your self Lieutenant. Any ordinary soldier would surely have perished by now."  
  
"They will come."  
  
"Who, your pathetic squadrons?" Miller laughed, the tone of sarcasm heavy in the room "I have over six hundred Zergs stationed around the perimeter of the base, so I think you'll find that escape is impossible."  
  
"You are like a mouse Lieutenant, an annoying little mouse that just won't die." Miller said, pulling a pistol from his belt. He cocked it and pointed it at Mikhail's head.  
  
"But like any good mouse, all you need is the right bait, and the trap will snap SHUT."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***Wow did that take a hell of a long time to get out. Sorry, but I lost all interest in the story for a while. I was originally planning on making it longer, but now I do intend on wrapping it up in either the next chapter or the one after that. As always, please review.  
  
-Mike16- 


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